Boat Show Battling Rough Economic Waters

February 15, 1991|By STEVE WATERS, Outdoors Writer

MIAMI -- The 50th Miami International Boat Show wasn`t even seven hours old and Sal, the soda and beer man, was worried.

``I`ve been doing this for 20 years,`` Sal said from the main floor of the Miami Beach Convention Center, where he wheels his cart of ice-cold sodas and beer. ``I can tell if it`s going to be a good show or not.``

At $1.50 a can, soda sales for Thursday`s Marine Trade Day, the opening day of the show, were slow. Beer sales ($2.75 a can) were even slower. At least people were not drowning their sorrows right off the bat.

``The weekend should be better,`` Sal said. ``They usually drink more beer. They should drink even more on Sunday, since Monday`s a holiday -- President`s Day. But it`s not as good as it used to be.``

At least Sal, who gets paid on commission, will have no trouble unloading his sodas and beers when the show is over. But boat exhibitors appeared nervous about the prospect of leaving the show with the same number of boats they came with.

``Our friends the boat builders aren`t selling a lot of boats,`` said Bob Meagher of Doyle Sailmakers of Fort Lauderdale. ``I don`t think anyone knows exactly what type of show to expect.``

People who don`t buy new sailboats might still buy new sails, so Meagher wasn`t too worried. At least not yet.

``I think it`s going to be a good boat show,`` said Doyle`s Peter Grimm. ``I think the people who come here will be serious buyers. In this kind of economy, you won`t have people shopping. You`ll have two kinds of people: Those who come to see everything and those who come to buy.``

Buyers will have plenty of boats to choose from, as many exhibitors are unveiling their newest models here, from rafts and dinghies to mega-yachts and sportfishing vessels.

Several people said the number of boats at the show appeared down from last year. Grimm`s explanation: ``The strong companies are here and will continue to prosper.``

Among the most prosperous is Atlantic Coast Kayak Company of Fort Lauderdale. Started by Bonnie Haggerty and Ray Santa in July, the company has found a secure niche in these economically uncertain times. Kayaks are inexpensive and fun, and they appeal to owners of big boats as well as to first-time boat buyers.

``We just had one guy over here from one of the big custom yacht companies,`` Haggerty said. ``He was interested in a kayak. He`s tired of big boats, the costs, the frustration. He`s also newly married and he and his wife like to go camping. They want something family-oriented.

``We`re getting a lot of families that can`t afford the larger boats and can`t afford a week at Disney World. The kayak and similar boats are basically recession-proof. Our Keowee is the most popular kayak in the country. It costs $389, you can take a kid and an adult out in it and have a lot of fun. You can`t beat the price and it`s car-toppable. You can even get a hard plastic cover with foam on it, snap in on the kayak and strap the kayak to your car. There`s no need for a rack.``

And while some might say there`s no need to own a boat, period, when the country is at war and the economy is hurting, Haggerty disagrees.

``Even though it`s a recession, people still want to have fun,`` she said. ``It gets them away from thinking about being laid off or work slowing down, and they can still have fun.``

For those boat owners who want to get the most out of their present boats, Bob Icenogle of Bob`s Machine Shop is the man to see. He offers what he called efficiency accessories -- items that make boats perform better and more efficiently.

Chief among those items is the new hydraulic setback transom bracket that he and partner Scott Porta unveiled here. The bracket allows a boat`s motor to be raised and lowered vertically.

``It lets you tune your boat to the water conditions,`` Icenogle said. ``It`s a controlled variable that gives you the best out of your rig.``

-- ADMISSION: Tickets for today`s Red Carpet Day are $20. Otherwise, tickets are $8 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under, available at Convention Center and International Yacht Harbor. One ticket allows same-day entry to all three locations.

-- PARKING: A park-and-ride lot at Watson Island costs $4 and offers a free shuttle bus to all show sites. Shuttle service begins one hour before the show and stops one hour after the show closes and is excellent. Take I-95 to I-395 East to Miami Beach. Watson Island lot is on the right off the MacArthur Causeway.